Ministry of Home Affairs
DRUG SMUGGLING ISSUE
As per latest data published by National Crime Records Bureau  pertaining to the year 2021, State/UT-wise seizure of drugs under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances  Act during 2019-2021 is at Annexure-I.
There has been a change in the pattern of substance abuse as reﬂected in the National Survey on Extent, Pattern and Trends of Substance Use done in 2004, and in the Comprehensive National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India conducted in 2018. However comparison of these Surveys is not possible since the survey in 2004 was done only on males; whereas the later survey was more comprehensive. Further, the 2004 survey could only project national trends in limited areas of substance abuse, whereas the survey in 2018 provided more comprehensive data with State-wise projections.
|
|
Sl.
|
|
Name of the substance
|
|
Prevalence of use
w.r.t. survey 2004
|
|
Prevalence of use
w.r.t. survey 2018
|
|
Age Group 12-60 years
|
|
Age Group 10-75 years
|
|
1.
|
|
Cannabis
|
|
3%
|
|
2.83%
|
|
2.
|
|
Opiates/ Opioids
|
|
0.7%
|
|
2.1%
Source: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
The Government of India has taken various steps to curb drugs supply. Some of these steps are detailed below:-
- The Government has introduced the NCORD mechanism in 2016 to have effective coordination of actions among various Ministries, Departments, Central and States law enforcement agencies dealing with narcotics. The mechanism was restructured in 2019 into a 4 tier structure as detailed under:-
- Apex Level Committee 
- Executive Level Committee , MHA).
- State Level Committee .
- District Level Committee 
NCORD mechanism has been further strengthened by addition of new members at different levels to make it more effective and comprehensive.
- A Joint Coordination Committee  was constituted vide MHA’s order dated 19 July, 2019 consisting of Central and State Agencies to monitor investigations in case of large seizure of drugs.
- Dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force  headed by ADG/IG level Police Officer has been established in each State/UT.
- A special Task Force on Dark net and Crypto currency has been constituted to monitor suspicious transactions related to drugs on Darknet.
- To prevent drug trafficking along border areas various border guarding forces like BSF, SSB and Assam Rifles have been empowered under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances  Act, 1985 to make interdiction of drugs.
- To mitigate the problem of drug trafficking through maritime route, the Indian Coast Guard  has been empowered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances  Act-1985 for making interdiction of narcotic drugs at sea.
- To prevent Inter-state movement of narcotics drugs across the country by railway network, the Railway Protection Force  has also been empowered under NDPS Act, 1985 for search, seizure and arrest.
- Since illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and its abuse is a trans- national problem, Govt. of India has entered into bilateral agreements with 27 countries, Memorandum of Understanding  with 16 countries and 02 Agreements on Security Cooperation for preventing illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.
- The Government has approved creation of 4 new Regional Offices of NCB at Amritsar, Guwahati, Chennai and Ahmedabad and 05 new Zonal Offices of NCB at Gorakhpur, New Jalpaiguri, Agartala, Pasighat/Lower Siyang & Raipur with up-gradation of 12 Sub-Zonal offices to Zonal Offices of NCB at Dehradun, Amritsar, Srinagar, Jaipur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Imphal, Goa, Bhopal, Cochin, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad. Further, 425 new posts have also been created in NCB to strengthen the organizational structure.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.